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Japan

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https://www.newsweek.com/japan-news-population-crisis-3-numbers-1954889

Japan's Population Crisis in Three Numbers
Published Sep 17, 2024 at 7:26 AM EDT
Updated Sep 17, 2024 at 11:22 AM EDT

01:02
Japan Launches Plan To Tackle Falling Birth Rate
By Micah McCartney
China News Reporter
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Japan's population is in freefall, with fewer babies born, more elderly
in the workforce, and a shrinking number of residents overall.

The country faces a demographic crisis that policymakers fear threatens
its economy and social welfare systems, with the Secretary of the
Japanese Cabinet, Yoshimasa Hayashi, warning the country only has until
the 2030s to reverse the country's plummeting birth rate.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications did not
immediately respond to a written request for comment.

"Japan is addressing its population decline through child-rearing
policies, digitalization, and work-style reforms, aiming to enable more
women and elderly citizens to contribute actively to society and the
economy," Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs assistant press secretary
Masashi Mizobuchi told Newsweek.

Below are the three main issues Tokyo is having to deal with.

Aging Population
According to a report released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs
and Communications, there are now 36.25 million people aged 65 and older
in the East Asian nation. This equates to 29 percent of its population,
the highest proportion of any other country or region in the world.

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Japanese Senior Citizens Gather to Grow Flowers
Senior residents on June 13, 2024, in Sayo, Japan. Policymakers in the "super-aged" society are struggling to raise the country's birth rate
amid fears of a demographic crisis. Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images
At the same time, many elderly citizens remain in the workforce. For the
20th consecutive year, the number of older workers increased, reaching a
record 9.14 million.

Although many Japanese companies enforce a mandatory retirement age of
60, the government encourages firms to retain older employees who wish
to continue working. This flexibility helps bridge the gap until
pensions kick in at age 65, offering modified pay and working conditions
to accommodate older workers.

Japan recorded 350,074 births between January and June, reflecting a
nearly 6 percent decline from the previous year, according to health
ministry statistics. This was the lowest figure since 1969, when Tokyo
began posting these figures.

It also marks the third year in a row with fewer than 400,000 births in
the first half of the year. This was an even greater drop than the 3.6
percent decline seen during same period last year.

Chinese Public Reacts After Beijing Raises Retirement Age
Russians Told To Make Babies During Work Breaks to Help Birth Rate
Japan's fertility rate last year dipped to 1.2 births expected per
woman, among the lowest in the world. Health Minister Keizo Takemi has
called the situation "extremely critical," and warned Japan has only
until the 2030s to reverse the trend.

Outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made boosting the birth rate a national priority, previously pledging to double national childcare
spending within a decade.

Population Decline
Japan's population shrank for the 15th consecutive year in 2023,
according to government statistics release in July.

As of January 1, Japan's total population, which peaked in 2009, stood
at 124.89 million. Of this total, approximately 3.32 million were
foreign nationals. Despite Japan's historically strict immigration
policies, the number of foreign residents has been rising since a brief
pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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About the writer
Micah McCartney
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Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He
covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more

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